MBZUAI’s Robotics Program brings AI to the physical realm for robots that sense, act, and learn in the real world

Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), the world’s first graduate-level research university dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI), launched its full robotics program to tackle advanced challenges in robot learning, humanoid robotics, human-computer interacstion, and sensory awareness.

The program features ample research and teaching laboratories for experimentation with humanoid walking and autonomous robots. It addresses sectors such as agriculture, logistics, and health and serves as a unique collaborative hub for faculty, researchers, students, and its partners from industry and government.

Professor Sami Haddadin, serving as MBZUAI’s vice president for research and overseeing the entire research agenda of the university including translation and industry impact, says: “Robotics has already transformed industries such as automotive, manufacturing, logistics, and medicine. At MBZUAI, we aim to push boundaries further, creating AI systems that allow machines to learn at scale, operate smarter, and support humans in meaningful ways, AI in the real world so to speak.”

Founded in 2023, the robotics department at MBZUAI welcomed 18 students in August and is expected to grow to more than 15 faculty members over the next two years. Leading this expansion is Professor Yoshihiko Nakamura, professor and chair of the robotics department.

“As part of the robotics program, we are introducing the Robotics Teaching Laboratory, which is more than just a space—it’s the heart of the robotics teaching program at MBZUAI, where high-impact research, including robot learning and algorithms, is brought to life through experimentation. “While robotics is our focus, it’s through human collaboration and diverse skills that we drive success,” said Professor Nakamura.

The department’s research interests span areas such as deep learning, robot-assisted surgery, quadruped locomotion, precision agriculture, and environmental monitoring.

Before joining MBZUAI, Nakamura spent 33 years at the University of Tokyo and is a leading expert in humanoid robotics and human-robot interaction. Haddadin founded and directs TUM’s Munich Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MIRMI), which is ranked among the world’s top robotics and AI institutes.